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Wear The Gown: The importance of a woman's heart health

Heart disease used to be considered a man's disease, leaving many women undiagnosed when they could have had a cardiovascular illness. Ten years ago roughly one in every three women died from heart disease. That number has improved to one in four, but there is still plenty of room to keep bringing that number down.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Heart disease used to be considered a man's disease, leaving many women undiagnosed when they could have had a cardiovascular illness. Ten years ago roughly one in every three women died from heart disease. That number has improved to one in four, but there is still plenty of room to keep bringing that number down.

"Once we recognized that women present differently, then there have been studies shown that heart disease in women presents differently too,” said Dr. Ildiko Agoston, a cardiologist and the Director of Nuclear Medicine within University Health System and the Director of the UT Health Cardiology Clinic. She says women need to start thinking about their heart health at younger ages. Dr. Agoston told us, “Women have to start taking care of themselves early in their life, even in their 20s and 30s, to prevent heart disease for themselves later."

Some of the risk factors of heart disease in women include diabetes, which is more of a risk in women than men, the same with smoking, pregnancy complications or preeclampsia, chemotherapy, especially when it comes to breast cancer, and lack of physical activity.

"The American Heart Association recommends a 30-minute cardiovascular exercise a day, not just some days of the week but every day of the week,” said Dr. Agoston.

Family history is another big factor for both men and women. She added, “It is so important for those women and men that have a family history of heart disease to start looking for help early."

Dr. Agoston says the average woman in America goes through menopause around age 50, so that is the age where women should be thinking about a cardiovascular risk stratification to determine their risk of developing heart disease in the later stages of life.

For more information about family health, call (210)358-3045 and check out the rest of our Wear The Gown stories by going to WearTheGown.com.

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